LAFAYETTE -- Three years ago Nels Thoreson came to Justice High School as a summer school tutor. It didn't take long for him to notice a number of his pupils were heading out to the football field for practice after they were done with class.

Having played wideout in college at Division-III University of Wisconsin-River Falls and done some coaching at various levels in his home state of Wisconsin, Thoreson thought he might be able to lend a helping hand to the Phoenix.

Little did he know just how much he would be able to offer the team and the school.

"One day I just walked out with them and started coaching," Thoreson said. "Over time I just got more and more hats. Currently I'm teaching, all of us here are pretty much counselors. I'm the registrar, athletic director, head football coach and I help with food services. So, a couple of different roles, but it has all worked out."

Thoreson spent his first two years with the program working both sides of the ball under the tutelage of longtime head coach TJ Cole. When Cole stepped down last year, assistant Jeremy Jimenez moved in to fill his vacancy, sliding Thoreson into the role of offensive coordinator. But with Jimenez moving on to take another job, Thoreson will be the man in charge on the Justice sideline this season.

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Despite entering the new role, Thoreson seems confident he and his staff will have little trouble guiding the Phoenix in the right direction. That group includes assistant coach David Martinez, who also teaches at the school, and Thoreson's two brothers. The head coach has even recruited his roommate help out and increase the number of instructors to help keep the Phoenix on the right path, both on the field and off.

"Football is a great, great thing for Justice High School," Thoreson said. "It's a good channel for a lot of their emotions because a lot of times they just haven't been accountable. So what I try to do is make them accountable to not just themselves, but their teammates, the teachers here, and the community as well."

Over the course of time Thoreson has spent at the school he has seen a number of his kids take giant strides in transforming from the people they were when they came to Justice to the people they are today. One of those examples is wide receiver and defensive back George Kaneta.

"George is a junior, and he's made a huge improvement from being, I wouldn't say timid but maybe just not as confident as he could be," Thoreson said. "And he's really grown as a person. He might even be able to graduate early this year, which is great."

Kaneta acknowledges his own personal progress, but doesn't stop there. He has lofty goals for the team, which include making it to state this year. And with the potential to graduate a year early, he already has his eyes set on going to college and continuing his football career, possibly at Colorado State.

There is no question his head coach has made an impact on Kaneta's time at Justice.

"I think he's a good coach and really helps us out," Kaneta said. "He really teaches us what we need to know.

"He always volunteers and is always helping out. Either it's one thing or another. He does everything. He is even our lunch lady at school," he added jokingly.

While Thoreson will strive to improve upon the team's 1-5 mark from last season and make the dream of playing in the postseason a reality, his commitment to not just the football squad but to the entirety of Justice High School and students like Kaneta will never truly be measured in wins and losses.

"We have high expectations for them," Thoreson said. "We have progress reports every week so they are getting to school and passing their classes. So that holds them accountable and hopefully that translates over to the football field. It's a good time and just to get the kids to be a part of something that's really positive is a good thing. And hopefully they can come together and win some games."

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